A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces

‘The 3rd Brigade C.F.A. lost a gallant Battery Commander that day [2 September 1918]. After the 12th Field Battery fired in the opening barrage, its commander, Major W. B. McTaggart, of Clinton, Ontario, had enjoyed the rare thrill of trotting his guns forward a mile or more. Halting the Battery under the crest of Dury Ridge, Major McTaggart rode to the top of the ridge to reconnoitre the forward slope and the plain beyond. He was struck down by enemy machine-gun bullets, his wound proving fatal. Thrice before had McTaggart been wounded - twice in 1915 and again in 1917. He was twice mentioned in despatches, and in May 1918 he won the D.S.O. during the fighting at Fresnoy’.

The Gunners of Canada, refers.

A fine Great War D.S.O. group of four awarded to Major W. B. McTaggart, Canadian Field Artillery, who was mortally wounded at Arras in September 1918

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. W. B. McTaggart, Can. Fd. Art.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major W. B. McTaggart), together with the recipient’s Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (William Broder McTaggart), generally good very fine or better (5) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces.

View
Collection

D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1918. The original recommendation states:

‘On the afternoon of 3 May 1917, after the taking of Fresnoy, this officer’s battery was under heavy shellfire for three hours. Two of his guns were put out of action by direct hits and detachments killed or wounded. He increased his rate of fire with the remaining guns of his battery and carried on until our infantry had consolidated.

On the afternoon of 13 May 1917, his battery was again very heavily shelled by 8-inch. One shell hit the dugout and buried him and one of his subalterns for four hours. On being released, he immediately started to dig out two of his men who had also been buried.

His gallantry on many occasions has been most conspicuous and his ability as a Battery Commander is beyond praise.’

William Brodie “Bill” McTaggart was born in Clinton, Ontario, on 19 April 1893, and attended St. Andrew’s College, Toronto, prior to entering the Royal Military College of Canada in August 1910. Graduating with a Diploma with Honours - and the Duke of Connaught’s Governor-General’s Gold Medal - in June 1913, he commenced his active service career in France with an appointment as a Lieutenant in 12th Battery, 3rd Brigade, C.F.A., in February 1915.

Twice wounded in the same year - namely in October and November - he nonetheless returned to duty on both occasions, although he was appointed an A.D.C. to the G.O.C. Reserve Artillery, C.A.C., in England shortly thereafter. Back in France as a newly promoted Captain in February 1916, he relinquished his post as A.D.C. that May, and returned to proper active service as a Temporary Major in 12th Battery, C.F.A., in which capacity he was awarded the D.S.O. for the above cited deeds.

Seriously wounded in the thigh at Passchendaele on 1 November 1917, and having won a brace of “mentions” in the interim (London Gazettes 4 April and 28 December 1917 refer), he was evacuated to the U.K. and thence sent on furlough to Canada, but he once more returned to active service in France in April 1918, this time as C.O. of his old battery. But, as cited above, he was mortally wounded at Arras on 2 September.

McTaggart, who was just 25 years old, is buried in Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras; sold with copied service record and other references.